Big Sky Love

by Cate Dean

  Mike studied him. “So the whole ‘I’m nobility and better than you’ thing is real?”

  “I am a noble, yes. As for the rest of your comment, I have learned I am no better—and perhaps a bit worse—than any man.”

  “Must’ve been some revelation.”

  Charles smiled, liking the rough cowboy. “You have no idea.”

  “I might have a way to get around Kate. If you’re up for a little trickery.”

  Charles nodded. “I owe her a great deal, for trusting me enough to take me in, and I wish to repay her. Even if it means trickery, I would like to do so.” Mike walked toward the main house, gesturing for him to follow.

  “I can guarantee Kate will refuse your money.” He grinned at Charles. “But her pa won’t.”

  Aware that he was hardly presentable, Charles accompanied Mike, walking into the main house. He may not enjoy going around Kate to help her, but if that was what it took, he would gladly do it. He knew his current self would never miss the small amount of money it would take to rebuild her stable.

  If he could not stay, at the very least, he could leave a part of himself behind.

  Fifteen

  “KATE.” EVAN STOOD in the doorway, arms crossed. He did not look happy to see her—and even less happy to see Sally, standing right behind her. “What do you want?”

  “We need to talk, Evan. Are you going to invite us in?”

  He grunted, and opened the door wide. “We can talk in the drawing room. Is your cook going to be part of it?”

  Sally looked over at her, and Kate shook her head. “She came to exchange recipes with your cook. It will only take a few minutes.” She nodded slightly, and Sally smiled, catching on quickly.

  “I’ll be in earshot, Miss Kate. Just shout and I’ll be ready to go.”

  She headed for the kitchen before Evan could object. Since Sally and his cook Emily had been trading recipes for months, it didn’t look suspicious.

  Evan sighed. “We can talk in the drawing room.”

  Kate followed him into the lavishly appointed room. “Please leave the door open.”

  He shrugged, and did as she asked.

  “What’s this about, Kate? You didn’t humiliate me enough at the picnic?”

  “I could have gone to the sheriff.” It took most of her control to keep her voice even.

  “For showing that I love you?”

  “For assaulting me, Evan. If that’s how you show love, then I want nothing to do with it.”

  His nostrils flared, and she knew his temper was up. “If you came just to insult me, we’re done.”

  “I didn’t. I’d rather forget it happened.” He shrugged, crossing his arms. Kate gave up, and moved on to her real reason for coming here. “You know about the sabotage on my ranch—”

  “I had nothing to do with it.”

  “Well, someone from North Star did. We caught a man trying to set fire to my stable last night. That man is on his way to Sheriff Langley, with a full confession.”

  Evan snapped—so quickly she didn’t see it coming.

  “How dare you accuse me!” He grabbed her bruised arm and shoved her against the wall. She had never seen him this angry, which told her that her suspicions were dead on. “I would never—”

  “Then why was he wearing this?”

  She pulled the damning bandana out of her pocket, and held it in front of him. His face drained of color, and she knew she had him.

  “If it was one of my men, he acted on his own.”

  “You will pay to have my stable rebuilt.”

  Evan stared at her like she just spoken German. “I told you I had nothing to do with it. Isn’t that enough?”

  “He said you knew.” She braced herself and continued. “He also said he had nothing to do with what happened to my father. That you did.”

  The fury that flashed Evan’s eyes scared her. He grabbed her arms and pulled her up until she stood on tiptoe. “Are you threatening me?”

  “I want the truth—ˮ

  “Here’s the truth.” He pinned her to the wall, and she fought him, terrified that it was about to be a replay of her last visit. “I didn’t mean to hurt your pa. It was supposed to scare him into selling—but he moved at the last second, and the bale hit him.”

  “You son of a bitch!” She elbowed him—hard enough that it surprised him into letting her go.

  She didn’t get far.

  Evan grabbed her around the waist and hauled her back, his free hand covering her mouth before she could scream for Sally. He held on as she kicked at him.

  “Stop fighting me, Kate, or I swear to God, Sally will pay for making that damn pie.” She stilled, because she believed him.

  The man who held her was not the boy she once knew—a little selfish, often careless, but always looking out for his friends. The man he had become was one she didn’t want in her life.

  “Good girl.” He whispered in her ear, his breath hot. “Now, this is what’s going to happen, Kate. You are not walking out of here, until you agree to marry me.”

  Dread coiled through her, and she shook her head.

  “I’m going to turn you around, and free your mouth so you can answer me. One shout, and you know what will happen. Nod if you understand.” She nodded, and he let her go long enough to turn her, then trapped her around the waist again. “Talk.”

  “I told you I would never marry you, Evan. I still mean that.”

  He leaned in, until his breath heated her lips. “You will marry me, we will join our ranches, or the next accident with your pa will be fatal.”

  She stared at him in horror. “Why are you doing this?” she whispered.

  “I want you, Kate. I’ve always wanted you. Now that I have the upper hand, I’m not letting you go.”

  A loud crash in the other room had him dropping her, and he spun. “What the hell was that?”

  Sally rushed into the drawing room and skidded to a halt when she spotted Kate. “Are you all right, Miss Kate? The housekeeper told me you’d already left, but I knew she was lying through her teeth.”

  Evan raised his hand—and Kate knew exactly what he intended. She jumped between him and Sally, and took the blow meant for Sally across her already bruised left cheek.

  “Shit—why did you have to do that?” He grabbed Kate and yanked her forward. “Tell her to sit down, before I make her sit.”

  Kate swallowed, then looked at Sally. “Please sit down, Sally. Evan and I haven’t finished our conversation yet.”

  “But, Miss Kate—”

  “Please, Sally. Let me take care of this.”

  Sally nodded, and sat on the edge of the flowered, overstuffed chair. Her cheeks were flushed, and Kate knew she was both angry and scared. Kate was willing to take any punishment, as long as he didn’t hurt Sally.

  When she turned back to Evan, he was calm. But under that calm was a rage she’d never seen before. “Good,” he said. “Now, it’s time to talk about our wedding.”

  Sixteen

  MOST OF THE hands were still cleaning up the mess when Kate and Sally returned. Kate hurried inside the main house, ignoring Sally, and ran upstairs, not stopping until she was safe in her room. Then she finally let the tears come.

  She was going to marry Evan Kransky.

  “It’s for the best,” she whispered. She’d keep telling herself that until she believed it.

  The knock on the door made her jump.

  “Kate?” Pa’s voice filtered through the door, and she closed her eyes. “Are you all right, sweetheart?”

  “Fine, Pa. Just tired after last night.”

  “About that.” He cleared his throat, which told her he was about to spill something she didn’t want to hear. “Charles came to me with—”

  She pushed off the door and opened it. “We’re not taking anything from him, Pa.”

  He leaned against the doorframe, and she knew he hurt. “The stable needs—”

  “I took care of it. We’ll be fine.” Sh
e stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “Everything’s going to be fine.”

  “What did you do, Katie girl?” Oh, God—he only called her that when he knew she’d overstepped. “Tell me, this instant, while there’s still time to fix it.”

  Tears filled her eyes, and the enormity of what she’d done finally slammed into her.

  “It’s too late, Pa.” She walked into his open arms, and pressed her face against his chest. “We can’t fix this one.”

  “Just tell me, Katie.”

  She kept her head down, and obeyed. “I accepted Evan’s marriage proposal.”

  “Oh, my sweet girl.” He rubbed her back, but she knew the lecture was coming. He didn’t disappoint. “What were you thinking? You didn’t have to throw yourself at him, over a stable. Why do you always think you have to fix everything on your own?”

  “Oh, I don’t know.” She wiped her eyes, and looked up at him. “Maybe because it runs in the family?”

  Pa shook his head. “Not from me.” He sighed, gathering her in again. “I miss your ma, too. She was a pistol, and you inherited her temper along with her brains. I don’t want you to think with your temper—not on this, Katie.”

  “It’s too late. I already said yes.” She swallowed. “We’re getting married tomorrow.”

  He jerked back, forcing her to meet his eyes. “What the—”

  “We need the money he’s offering, Pa. I won’t let him touch the ranch.” She was going to insist on that, even though she lied to him and said okay. Marrying him was going to have to be enough. The Willows belonged to her family, and it always would. “You and Ma wanted this for me, once.”

  “That was before you outgrew his affection. He’s not the man for you, Katie.”

  “And you know who is?” She had a sinking feeling that something had happened while she was at Evan’s, selling her soul.

  “Charles has offered to—”

  “No.” She pulled out of his arms and stepped back. “He’s not staying, Pa, so don’t get attached.” Saying it hurt more than she thought. Kate would never regret loving Charles, but it had to end there. His supposed curse aside, he wasn’t the type to stick to one woman. Kate had sensed that the second they met. “Whatever he told you, whatever he offered, we’re not accepting it.”

  “Katie—”

  “Not.” She stalked past him and down the stairs, anger overriding her heartache.

  Sally stepped out of the kitchen, obviously waiting for Kate to appear. “Miss Kate—I want to tell you how sorry I am that you were forced to—”

  “I wasn’t forced, Sally.” She put a lid on her anger; it wasn’t meant for Sally. “It’s the right thing to do—”

  “No, it ain’t!” Sally let go of the swinging door and rushed forward, taking Kate’s hand. “I’d have to be blind not to see how Mr. Charles feels about you. I might even sense it if I was blind. Don’t you care for him at all?”

  With a sigh, Kate sandwiched Sally’s hand. Her cook was young, and Charles must look like a prince, riding in to the rescue.

  “I do, more than I should. But he’s not staying, Sally. He told me himself that this is just a stop, a place to get ready for what he has to do next. Even if I did care enough to want him to stay, I already made a promise.”

  “What promise?”

  She froze at Charles’ deep, too-quiet voice. After taking a shaky breath, she turned to face him, bracing herself. “I agreed to marry Evan.”

  Instead of the anger she expected, resignation crossed his face. It tore at her heart.

  “I see.” He crossed the living room, and took her hand, bending over it. “May I be the first to offer my condolences, Miss Maguire.” He kissed her hand, then let her go and stepped out of reach. “He is going to make the rest of your life miserable.”

  Before Kate could get over the shock of his words, he strode out, slamming the door behind him.

  CHARLES COULD HARDLY believe it.

  Even hearing Kate say the words made it difficult for him to believe.

  She was going to marry another man.

  Worse—she was going to tie herself to that pompous ass, Kransky. A man who did not deserve to kiss the hem of her trousers, never mind touch her in an intimate way.

  The pendant he wore under his shirt warmed against his skin, as if Adriana were having the last laugh. Yes, she had won. Charles had made love to Kate, with his body and his heart, and it was not enough.

  Perhaps he was unlovable, as one of his women had claimed—

  When he heard Kate behind him, he kept moving, ready to sprint if that was what it took to keep her from him.

  “Charlie—don’t you even think of running from me.”

  A sound he didn’t recognize split the air. He turned—and a loop of rope dropped over his head. Kate tugged, and the loop tightened, trapping his arms at his sides.

  “What is the meaning of this, Miss Maguire?”

  She gathered up the length of rope attached to the loop, moving toward him as she did so. When she finished, they stood toe to toe.

  “I want to tell you why, before you go and do something stupid, like challenge him to a duel.”

  Charles lifted his chin. “I would defeat him. I am an excellent shot.”

  “I don’t doubt it. You’re probably excellent at everything you try.” There it was—the pain he had inflicted by loving her. “This was my decision, Charlie. And it’s not because I love him.” She swallowed. “I’ll never love him, because I—” She cut herself off.

  Hope surged through him. “You what, sweet?”

  “Nothing. It was nothing.”

  Charles knew she referred to their lovemaking. The look on her face told him what her words did not. His hope died.

  “I will not challenge him.” He leaned in, until his lips brushed hers. She took in a sharp breath. “I will let you go through with your decision, but I will not be here to watch you regret every moment of that decision. For the rest of your miserable life.”

  He hated that tears filled her eyes, but he would have his say, and tell her the truth, while he was here to do it.

  “I want you gone, Mr. de Witt.” She loosened the rope until it dropped to the ground, and took a few deep breaths before she continued. “You can forget whatever promises you made to my father. We don’t need your charity, or your help. We don’t need you.”

  Her voice cracked over the last words. Charles stepped forward, but she covered her mouth with one hand and whirled, running for the main house. Finally, he noticed their audience.

  “It seems I have been given the boot.”

  Mike stepped forward. “Give her time to cool off. Kate’s temper is as fierce as her hair color, but it burns out fast. She’ll come around before sunset. I guarantee it.” He clapped one hand on Charles’ shoulder, and pointed to the bunkhouse. “Go on and rest. Everything’ll be back to normal before you know it.”

  MIKE WAS WRONG.

  When Charles roused himself after a restless nap that did little to take the edge off his exhaustion, Kate stood at the end of his bunk, fire in her eyes.

  “What the hell are you still doing here?”

  He rubbed his face, carefully pushing himself up. His right hand felt like it had been pummeled, so he braced it on his thigh, finally meeting her eyes. Some of the fire died, her attention on his hand.

  “This will not hinder my departure, if that is your fear.”

  “I—no. I just—” She turned away from him. “I expected you to be gone.”

  “Ah.” Now he understood. The grand scene had been spoiled by his continued presence. “Mike told me you would come around, given time.”

  “He—what?” She stomped over to him, hands on her hips. Charles blinked at the sight of her in a gown. A lovely gown, the same blue as her eyes. “I meant what I said.” She let out a sigh, and the fire died. Charles much preferred it to the defeat he saw now. “Go away, Charles.”

  He stood, and wrapped his left arm around her waist, hauling h
er up against his chest.

  “I want to give you a proper goodbye.”

  His lips closed over hers, cutting off her protest.

  Kate stopped struggling, and wrapped both her arms and her legs around him. Quite a feat, considering she wore a gown. She opened herself to him, and he could sense the desperation in her response.

  He knew Evan had something hanging over her head; something so heinous she would agree to tie herself to him for the rest of her life to prevent it. At least Charles would not be here to watch her fade into her misery.

  Small compensation.

  Gently, he pulled back, wanting nothing more than to sink back into the kiss.

  “Charlie—”

  “It is time for me to go, Kate.”

  She tightened her grip, then let out a shaky breath and nodded. “You’re right.” He held her as she lowered her feet to the floor, and forced himself to let her go—for good this time. “I’m sorry—I just—I couldn’t let you go without you knowing how I felt.”

  The hope that he had locked away threatened to burst free.

  “Exactly how do you feel, Kate?”

  “Like I’m never going to be happy again.” She backed away from Charles, and he understood now that she could not tell him, even if she did love him. She was going to marry another tomorrow. “I’m so sorry.”

  Before he could respond, she ran out, leaving him alone.

  Charles picked up the few belongings he had collected and headed for the paddock. He would take Lightning as far as town, then leave him in the stable for Kate. The stallion deserved a good home, and she would treat him well.

  Then he would go, and keep going until the pendant yanked him back to limbo.

  Seventeen

  KATE STARED AT herself in the cheval glass. The woman looking back at her was unrecognizable. The pale yellow gown, with layers of crinoline underneath, didn’t look as ridiculous, as out of place, as it felt. Thank heaven for small favors.

  Sally appeared behind her, holding a wreath of yellow daisies and trailing white ribbon.